one powerful leadership lesson: a tribute to the anniversary of 9/11

© 2013 Clear Picture Leadership® All rights reserved. www.ClearPictureLeadership.com

It is still unbelievable.

One Powerful Leadership Lesson

A Tribute to the Anniversary of 9/11 by Jonathan Michael Bowman

http://www.clearpictureleadership.com/


The calm peace of a beautiful September morning





was broken by a plane that slammed into a tall New York landmark –





a twin that for so long kept watch over the City that Never Sleeps.





We didn’t know what happened at first.





Maybe a small plane got off course.





Maybe the pilot immediately got sick.





Maybe the controls jammed or the internal computers went haywire.





But while we were still wondering,





another plane hit the other twin.





Our eyes were immediately opened.





We were under attack.





We will always remember the images from that day.





People emerging from clouds of dust covered in white soot.





Others running down the street bloodied and in tears.





Some limped to safety





while others sat on the street





trying to grasp the magnitude of this unspeakable tragedy.





We will always remember the pain that we felt.





We will always remember the awe-shocking horror





that transfixed us in the infancy of this crisis;





a trauma that continues to haunt us today.





Yet, out of all of these unforgettable images,





one thing stands out in my mind:





The incredible selfless courage of First Responders





who rushed into the Twin Towers even as they combusted with the power of jet fuel.





The responders risked and sacrificed their lives in order to save the lives of others.





Their noble acts commanded the admiration of the nation.





Their actions also inadvertently taught us





an oft-forgotten leadership lesson that we can apply in our everyday lives.





Great leaders put the needsof others first.





Before you plan the next step in your career path,





sit down with your employees and help them plan theirs.





Before you decide which days to take off for the next holiday,





find out which days your team members would like.





Before you pick up a hot drink to start your morning,





check to see if a team member would like one too.





By so doing, people will be encouraged to follow you.





And in some small or not so small way, they will admire you.





This may seem like a trite leadership lesson in comparison to the magnitude of 9/11.





Yet, in a real sense we owe it to all those who died or lost loved ones that day,





to be the best leaders that we can be.





Let us commemorate the anniversary of this unforgettable moment in American history





by pledging to be better leaders today than we were yesterday.





Interactive Question

What are your thoughts on this leadership lesson? Please add your comments below.




Featured Fine Art Photography

Jonathan Michael Bowman is an attorney and keynote leadership speaker. As President & CEO of Clear Picture Leadership®, he educates and inspires leaders to achieve a bold vision despite the obstacles. He is also a fine art photographer and uses his images during his presentations as a graphic metaphor to illustrate key points. Reach out and contact Jonathan today.

Website: www.ClearPictureLeadership.comEmail: [email protected]

Phone: 614.657.4295


Click here to experience “True Heroes”




mailto:[email protected]


http://jonathan-bowman.artistwebsites.com/featured/true-heroes-jonathan-michael-bowman.html

one powerful leadership lesson: a tribute to the anniversary of 9/11

Business

powerful leadership

clear picture leadership

jonathan michael bowman

small plane

unforgettable images

street bloodied

tall new york landmark

awe shocking horror